


I'm Sick of You

by Vixpixal



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: AU, AU Corona Virus, Alcohol, Connor is nervous, Connor whump, Corona Virus - Freeform, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Freeform, Gavin Reed Being Less of an Asshole, Gavin Reed Redemption, Gavin Reed is Bad at Feelings, I mean it has Gavin so yeah swearing, M/M, Man this quarantine really has me bored, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Quarantine, Reed800 - Freeform, Slow Burn, Survivor Guilt, Swearing, basically I'm edgy, gavin whump, possible smut maybe later?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:07:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23423677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vixpixal/pseuds/Vixpixal
Summary: Connor had been keeping up with the news.  At first it was because of Markus and the new laws being written, but in the past few weeks there has been a virus putting large parts of the world on hold.  This worried the android.  The one person in his life that he cared about was someone high risk for complications.  A man in his fifties with a drinking habit.  If Hank was worried, he didn’t show it, but Connor could worry enough for the both of them.It was when Connor was receiving the news of a social distancing policy, that he was called into Captain Fowler’s office.  Connor’s record was spotless, and he was one of the the more efficient members of the precinct, so he assumed he was about to be assigned a new case.What he wasn’t prepared for was seeing Detective Reed sitting in one of the chairs fuming.
Relationships: Connor/Gavin Reed
Comments: 38
Kudos: 146





	1. Chapter 1

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me! I can still work just fine!”

“Reed if you don’t sit your ass down and listen to me for a second, I’m going to have give you a couple of weeks of desk work when you get back.”

Fucking. Corona. Virus.

“Cap, can I at least keep coming into the precinct? I’ll lose my mind stuck at home!”

“I have no option but to give you medical leave. If you get this shit it’ll kill you!”

Gavin couldn’t help the indignant puff that he let out at that. A lot of things have tried to kill him. None have succeeded so far.

“Jeff, pl-“

“Detective if the next words out of your mouth aren’t ‘please let me stay home’, _I’m_ going to lose my mind.” 

Say what you will about Captain Jeffrey Fowler, but he cares about his precinct and the people in it. Gavin knows this is for his own good but for fucks sake, he can barely sit still doing active police work. Keeping him in his shitty apartment for god knows how long is _not_ going to help.

“…Fine,” Gavin huffed out, “But I hope you know I’m still going to have to get groceries and stuff. You can’t keep me locked up.”

“About that, I have someone to look after you. Considering your,” Fowler paused to look for the right words, “ _Extenuating medical circumstances_ , I need to make sure you don’t get sick.”

“Jesus man, why do you care so much if I get sick!”

“If you can’t let it be for your own sake, let it be for the sake of this precinct. You’re one of the more efficient detectives we have. We can’t lose you.”

“Can you at least tell me who you’ll have playing babysitter?” The annoyance in Gavin’s voice was unmistakable.

“Connor.”

…

Connor had been keeping up with the news. At first it was because of Markus and the new laws being written, but in the past few weeks there has been a virus putting large parts of the world on hold. This worried the android. The one person in his life that he cared about was someone high risk for complications. A man in his fifties with a drinking habit. If Hank was worried, he didn’t show it, but Connor could worry enough for the both of them.

It was when Connor was receiving the news of a social distancing policy, that he was called into Captain Fowler’s office. Connor’s record was spotless, and he was one of the more efficient members of the precinct, so he assumed he was about to be assigned a new case.

What he wasn’t prepared for was seeing Detective Reed sitting in one of the chairs fuming.

“Good morning Captain Fowler, Detective Reed.” Connor tried his hardest to sound casual, despite the increasingly strange situation.

“Have a seat Connor.” Fowler gestured at a chair next to Reed that Connor slowly took.

“How… Can I help you?” Connor felt eyes boring into his LED but he refused to look over. Whatever this is, can’t be good.

“Detective Reed over here is being put on medical leave until this virus clear out. I need someone to keep an eye on him and make sure he behaves. I can’t have him leaving his house, but he still needs to eat. You’ll need to run errands for him among other things.”

If Connor’s LED wasn’t already spinning yellow, it was now. Medical leave? Not every officer was being put on medical leave. What was special about Reed? And doesn’t Reed hate androids? How could the Captain think this would be a good idea?

“Sir,” Connor slowly mouthed out, “Are you sure there’s no one else that might be better for the job?”

Reed laughed at that, “Trust me, plastic, I asked him that already. He’s sitting pretty firm on this.”

“I would rather it be an android to do this because you can’t get sick. It would defeat the purpose to bring any sickness into Reed’s quarantine,” Fowler mused.

“Aren’t there other androids at the station? Couldn’t one of the receptionists do this?” Connor was grasping at straws.

“I plan on having you guys looking over cold cases while you are gone.”

“Well! Sounds like everyone is informed. Can I go have my coffee now?” Reed interjected. Had Connor not been at the wrong end of the detective’s frustration, he would find it funny how pouty he sounded.

“Fine. Get your ass out of my office.” Connor and Fowler watched as Reed dramatically stood up and slumped out of the office in the direction of the break room.

“Sir, I apologize if I have come across as disrespectful in any way.” Connor might have been upset but he was no where past knowing what is polite.

“Connor, you can leave too.” Fowler rubbed his eyes in an exhausted motion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gavin: Fuck this virus, if I get sick I get sick  
> Connor: This virus is literally the most terrifying thing ever
> 
> Alrighty guys, this is my first work up here so I'm always open to constructive criticism. This chapter is a little short so I'd like to write some longer ones in the future but I figured a shorter first chapter is okay since I'm new to writing here. Think of it as a trial.
> 
> Catch me on Tumblr at VixpixFics.Tumblr.com  
> -Vix


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do you have a cat?”
> 
> “What, you got robot allergies?”
> 
> “No, nothing of the sort. I’ve never met a cat. Hank has Sumo but he’s a dog.” At this point Reed was looking at Connor astonished.
> 
> “Never met a- alright you know what?” Gavin must have taken Connor’s expectant look for a response. “I’m gonna go find the bastard.”

Gavin hated one thing more than he hated his apartment. Having people in his apartment. He’d be damned if he was going to have an _android_ judging him by his living space. Sure, it isn’t super clean, but that’s only because he didn’t spend a lot of time at home anyway. Work always felt more important. Gavin was either putting in extra hours or out with his coworkers.  
  


“Yo, Tinman, you know you can come in, right?” Connor was, for some reason, standing apprehensively at the doorway, but not coming in. “What, you a vampire too?”

“Detective, can I ask you a question?” Gavin’s eyebrows shot up at that.

“Shoot.”

“What exactly are your expectations of me?”

“Honestly?” Connor nodded. “To stay out of my way and not fuck up my shit.”

Connor took a deep breath, “That, Detective, I can do.”

“Fucking-a. Now get in the fucking apartment.”

…

Connor knew it was irrational to be afraid of the apartment. There was nothing to suggest that there was any danger present. Nothing aside from Gavin Reed being there. Connor isn’t afraid of Reed, per say, but he doesn’t feel entirely comfortable living with such a known android hater.

Maybe that’s why he stood at the door for so long. Reality setting in. 

After what was possibly the most uncomfortable social interaction of Connor’s existence, he finally entered the apartment. Somehow, it was exactly what he had expected.

A mess.

Not gross by any means, but sloppy. Items just strewn about without a care. The kind of mess that if he asked Gavin about it, he would claim to know where everything was and say it’s a system. A quick scan picked up some faint nicotine and… catnip? Cat fur?

Gavin has a cat?

“Detective?”

“Mhm?” Reed didn’t even bother to look up from his phone.

“Do you have a cat?”

“What, you got robot allergies?”

“No, nothing of the sort. I’ve never met a cat. Hank has Sumo but he’s a dog.” At this point Reed was looking at Connor astonished.

“Never met a- alright you know what?” Gavin must have taken Connor’s expectant look for a response. “I’m gonna go find the bastard.”

…

Connor’s weak attempt to hide his excitement was unbearable. The most advanced prototype Cyberlife has to offer and he can’t even sit still at the mention of a cat? The thought alone made Gavin chuckle as he stood up to find Igby. 

Unsurprisingly, the idiot was asleep on Gavin’s pillow. Gavin rolled his eyes as he picked him up. Maybe if Connor likes Igby, Gavin will have one less chore to do. Boom. Feeding and litter taken care of. He could get used to this android thing. 

“Alright, this is Igby!” Gavin called as he returned to the living room.

Not only did Connor’s LED light up like a Christmas tree, so did his eyes. The android seemed afraid to move too fast but he managed to walk close enough to give Igby a solid few pets.

“He’s very pretty.”

“Uh huh. He’s awful. Knocks everything over and leaves fur on my pillow.”

“You don’t like him?”

“I love him, are you kidding? He’s just also awful on top of that.”

…

Connor spent about an hour sitting on the floor with Igby. Things were starting to seem like they would be tolerable.

Of course, that couldn’t last too long.

“Plastic,” Gavin called from the couch.

“Detective.”

“Do all androids get some of the same programming?”

“What do you mean? We all have social proto-“

“I mean, do you know how to cook and clean and shit?”

“I hardly think that’s relevant.” Connor could already feel the comment coming.

“Well, considering you’re going to be living here, you could help out around the house. I’m starting to think I should’ve bought one of you shits when I still had the chance.” There it is.

“Detective,” Connor said through gritted teeth, “You should remember who you’re talking to.”

Gavin put his hands up defensively, “Whatever, don’t get your wires in a twist.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connor: This place feels.... unclean  
> Gavin: Like dirty?  
> Connor: like bad juju  
> Gavin: Clean it then, bitch
> 
> Well, if you can't tell, I'm having fun writing this. Two chapters in less than 24 hours! Insane!
> 
> Check out my Tumblr at Vixpixfics.tumblr.com


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Okay well, there’s something you need to understand about working cold cases. Chances are, you won’t solve any. There’s a reason they’ve gone cold. There are no clues to be found. I don’t mean that we shouldn’t try, but we shouldn’t kill ourselves over an impossibility. That kind of shit just makes you feel bad when you have to move on.”
> 
> Was Reed actually trying to give him advise? No, he can’t be, can he? “Detective, while I may not have ever failed to solve a case, I’m prepared for the possibility that someday I will.” Connor was in no way prepared. Fail his mission? He must have known that failure could happen, right?
> 
> Was Reed just trying to make him doubt himself as some sort of twisted trick?

Connor did not break through his code and directly disobey Cyberlife to babysit a racist man child. And yet, here he was cautiously watching Gavin Reed as he went on with his day at home. They weren’t talking much, and Connor had the impression that if he tried, Reed would respond with nothing more than insults. 

Reed was turning on his coffee machine for the fourth time since Connor arrived earlier that morning. It was an old model. A Keurig. Made for single uses. Connor wondered why the detective didn’t just make a whole pot if he was going to keep going back to get more caffeine.

“Barbie,” Reed called from the kitchen.

“Detective.” The human chuckled at the plain response.

“You don’t need to stay in one spot all day. Creeps me the fuck out.” Connor suddenly felt awkward for staying on the couch silently this whole time. He thought he was being courteous and staying out of the way. Guess not.

“What would you rather I do?” Connor said, admittedly slightly annoyed.

“Shit, I don’t know, but if you’re going to be a statue do it in the closet. I’m going to start doing some work. If you want to be involved, my desk is in the bedroom.”

After Reed walked to his room with his fresh coffee, Connor hesitated for a moment before following him.

…

Gavin hates androids. Just his luck that Fowler stuck him with the one he hates the most. Fuckers at Cyberlife could make a fully functioning detective but couldn’t make him less creepy? The piece of shit was just sitting on Gavin’s couch staring at him all morning.

Eventually Gavin had enough and decided he needed to get to work. He invited the Robocop to his room to help, and for a peaceful second, he almost thought Connor wouldn’t come. Apparently, he just took his sweet time getting there.

“Detective, am I correct in that is your fourth cup of coffee today?” So, he speaks.

“Yeah?” Great, here comes the lecture. Gavin couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

“Your brand of coffee contains approximately 100mg of caffeine in every cup. In total you’re about to have had 400mg of caffeine. For someone of your weight, you shouldn’t be having anymore than 310mg of caffeine. That’s generous considering its not recommended anyone has more than 200mg at one time.” Lecture.

“I suppose you’re asking me to slow down?” Gavin couldn’t stop the sarcasm that leaked out.

Connor smiled, “Yes.”

“How many cups will kill me you think?”

Connor looked confused, “Around 78. Why?”

“Stop me at 77. Anything before that? That’s my choice. Okay, Dipshit?”

“…Okay.” Geez, who knew androids could look so much like a kicked puppy.

“Good. Let’s get some work done.”

…

When Gavin said _let’s_ get some work done, Connor assumed he would be allowed to help. Instead, he was resigned to watching the detective shuffle through papers and mumble to himself occasionally. Aside from knowing that the two of them were to be doing cold cases, Connor had no idea what ‘they’ were working on.

“Detective?”

Reed hummed in response.

“Would you like me to look over some files? I can read them much faster than a human and it might help us find clues.”

“Have you ever worked a cold case before?” Reed looked genuinely curious.

“No, I’ve always been assigned to android related cases, and those happen often enough that there’s always something current.”

“And have you ever failed to solve a case?”

“No. Not unless you count the deviancy investigation.”

“Okay well, there’s something you need to understand about working cold cases. Chances are, you won’t solve any. There’s a reason they’ve gone cold. There are no clues to be found. I don’t mean that we shouldn’t try, but we shouldn’t kill ourselves over an impossibility. That kind of shit just makes you feel bad when you have to move on.”

Was Reed actually trying to give him advise? No, he can’t be, can he? “Detective, while I may not have ever failed to solve a case, I’m prepared for the possibility that someday I will.” Connor was in no way prepared. Fail his mission? He must have known that failure could happen, right?

Was Reed just trying to make him doubt himself as some sort of twisted trick?

…

Aw, fuck. Now the tin can was blue screening. Gavin hadn’t expected such a big reaction to the idea of failure. The prick’s almost as bad as the kids at school who had tiger parents. 

“Hey, asshole, you alive in there?” Gavin waved his hand in front of Connor’s face.

Suddenly Connor returned to his usual calm expression. “Of course, Detective, why wouldn’t I be?”

“You- you know what? It’s none of my fucking business. Yeah, you can look at the files. I’m gonna go get a new cup of coffee.” 

As Gavin got up, he noticed Connor look like he was trying to hold back a protest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gavin: I'm tired  
> Connor: Don't...  
> Gavin: I'm going to get some more coffee  
> Connor: I'm going to fucking destroy that machine
> 
> Whats up!  
> I forgot to mention this earlier but I'm totally open to prompts and ideas because this is a freeform.   
> This chapter was weirdly fun to write? Man I'm really pumping these out non stop oof. Let me know if you want me to slow down. I probably wont but you know, you can tell me.
> 
> My tumbler is Vixpixfics.tumblr.com
> 
> -Vix


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Well,” Gavin stood up abruptly, “I’m bored. You ever play Uno?”
> 
> “Once, with the lieutenant on a slow day.” Connor smiles fondly at the memory of Hank cursing him out for forcing him to draw cards.
> 
> “Cool, so I won’t need to teach you. We can sit in the living room.” Gavin got up and started to walk to the living room before turning back to Connor, “Don’t think I’ve gone soft on you, plastic, I just can’t stand to read about anymore death today.” With that, he was gone.

Detective Reed must have been right about the impossibility of cold cases, because even after scanning each file and reviewing them multiple times, Connor was no closer to answers for any of them. The android considered his track record a point of pride and not being able to even notice one thing helpful, was a massive blow to his ego.

“Detective, I fear that I may be running out of ideas.” Connor hadn’t meant to sound so dejected, but he still did.

Gavin looked up from his file, “Oh yeah?” Connor nodded. “Alright, well I reached that point about three hours ago. I was just waiting for you to throw in the towel.”

“I don’t mean to disappoint, Detective, but these files are so empty they might as well be thrown out. It seems as though the responding officers were lazy with their work.”

Gavin huffed out a small laugh, “Don’t worry your pretty little head over it. Not even all of the technology Cyberlife has to offer can correct idiots.” Connor would almost thing Reed was complimenting him, had his tone not been so contradictory.

“Ah.”

Reed looked him up and down for a second, part amused, and part analytical. If he was an android, Connor would say he was scanning him.

“Well,” Gavin stood up abruptly, “I’m bored. You ever play Uno?”

“Once, with the lieutenant on a slow day.” Connor smiles fondly at the memory of Hank cursing him out for forcing him to draw cards.

“Cool, so I won’t need to teach you. We can sit in the living room.” Gavin got up and started to walk to the living room before turning back to Connor, “Don’t think I’ve gone soft on you, plastic, I just can’t stand to read about anymore death today.” With that, he was gone.

…

Was the comment about not liking Connor unnecessary? Probably, but Gavin knows puppy eyes when he sees them, and he wasn’t about to let the plastic prick think they were friends.

But still, he was about to play cards with him…

Best not to read into it too far. In fact, best to just throw the whole book away.

When Connor finally made is way to the couch, Gavin started dealing him a hand, “I play with a few house rules. If you have a card of the same number and color, you can jump in. Also, if you play a 0 or 7, we swap hands. Got it?”

“Yes, detective,” Connor quipped.

‘ _Yes, detective’._ It would be weird not to just be called by his name in his own home, right? “Hey, dipshit, my name is Gavin.”

“R-right, I know, Det- Gavin.” Connor stuttered. Huh, he must not have expected that.

And so, they played Uno.

Honestly the whole game was typical. Gavin cursed when he had to draw cards while Connor remained in a strict poker face, as though that would help him win.

That was, until Gavin found himself with the ultimate winning hand. Three skips and one wild card. Oh, this was going to be priceless.

“Skip!” Gavin put down his first skip, “…and skip again,” he was grinning at this point, “Uno,” Gavin said as he put down his third skip, “aaaaand, Uno out,” Gavin said proudly as he put down his wild card.

“You just…” Connor seemed to be carefully assessing the situation. For a second Gavin would’ve sworn he looked disappointed before the android quickly cleared his expression and stood to shake Gavin’s hand, “Good game, Gavin. You seem to have bested me.”

Gavin returned the handshake, “Fuck yeah, I’ve bested you! Guess you’re not as perfect as I thought you were.”

Despite what Gavin thought was an obvious joking tone, Connor looked even more upset than before, “I guess…”

“Come on, don’t look like that, perfection is overrated anyway,” Gavin said much more gently, “At least, it makes you seem more like a machine. It’s not natural to be perfect all of the time.”

“You think?” Connor said looking a little more cheerful.

“Uh, yeah.” Shit. Why did Gavin say that? Now the thing’s never going to leave him alone.

“Thank you, Gavin. That’s very insightful.” Connor said, obviously trying to mask a smile.

“Sure thing…”

…

Connor found Gavin fascinating. Here he was, believing the man hated him, and then Gavin went and tried to cheer him up. Surely, if Gavin hated him, he wouldn’t have said anything nice.

“Gavin, would you like me to fetch you something to drink?” Connor said to test the waters.

Gavin smirked, “What, you thirsty or something?”

“No, but if you would like me to also consume something, I can handle liquids. Some people find it uncomfortable to be the only one eating or drinking.”

“Are you asking to get drunk with me?” Gavin looked amused.

Connor hadn’t even considered that possibility, “I hadn’t thought of it. Why, would you like me to? My systems cannot be directly affected by alcohol, but I can run a program that would simulate a level of drunkenness for how much I drink. It would look and feel real.”

Gavin raised his eyebrows at that, “Fuck it. If we have to live together for god knows how long, we might as well get this out of the way early. You ever drink before?”

“…No.”

“Well, there’s a first time for everything.”

Connor was already in the kitchen when he realized that he had no idea what exactly Gavin wanted to drink. “Gavin?”

“What’s up?” Gavin called from the other room.

“What exactly am I grabbing?” Connor asked as he opened the fridge and surveyed the options. 

“Well, that depends. Do you want to take it slow or do you want to dive in?” Gavin sounded amused, but Connor really wasn’t sure.

“Uhh, I don’t really know. Hank usually goes for liquor.” Connor said, fully aware of how unsure he sounded.

“Liquor, huh? That’s a fast track to getting fucked up. Here, grab a couple of beers and we can ease in seeing as this is your first time.” Connor was almost relieved to hear that. At least the detective was conscious of Connor’s nerves.

Connor returned to Gavin, two beers in tow. This was somehow making him really nervous. He had seen how Hank could get under the influence and even though Connor knew that wasn’t the typical experience, he didn’t have any other reference.

Gavin must have sensed his anxiety, because he looked straight into Connor’s eye and snorted.

“Geez, plastic, it won’t kill you. I’m not going to peer pressure you or anything, but it’s really not that scary.”

“Right, sorry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gavin: You suck at Uno  
> Connor: Take that back right now
> 
> Hi guys!   
> It's been a few days, huh? I guess compared to my rapid fire chapters that's a long time. I don't have an excuse tbh, just wasn't writing. So, to pay you back, this is the longest chapter so far. Hope you liked it!
> 
> Find me on tumblr at vixpixfics.tumblr.com
> 
> -Vix


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just as Gavin started walking to the kitchen, Connor grabbed his hand, “Gav, Can I call you Gav? Gav, do you remember the evidence room? When I knocked you out?”
> 
> In a stunned silence, Gavin nodded.
> 
> “If I wanted to, I could’ve killed you. I could still kill you. I have the most advanced combat protocols Cyberlife has ever made. Right now, I could kill you if I wanted to.”
> 
> What the fuck? This has to be the most awkward thing for the two of them to talk about. Gavin let out a nervous laugh, “t-that’s cool.”

Gavin was no lightweight. He went out to bars all the time with Tina and Chris, and easily outdrank them. Gavin was no lightweight, so he wasn’t surprised when he was almost sober to see the mess that Connor became.

The android was really hesitant to drink at first but after he had a couple of beers in him, he was ready to keep going. Gavin remembers his 21st birthday, and Connor was behaving in a very similar way. Scared, then conflicted, then dumb. By the time the guy was going to get his fourth beer, he stumbled. Androids can stumble? Well, apparently drunk ones can.

“Hey, you doing alright over there?” Gavin said, amusement showing in his voice.

Connors head whipped in his direction fast enough that any normal human would have whiplash, “Fully operational,” Connor threw a double thumbs up, “They didn’t spend a fortune on me for nothing.”

Gavin laughed at the way Connor’s words were slurred. “You don’t sound all that operational and you just stumbled. Hows-about you sit down for a little okay?”

“You know, I’m alive now. So, I can do whateeeeeeever I want.” Gavin almost choked at the shit eating grin plastered on the android’s face.

“Sure, yeah, but that means you can die. Come, sit. It’s better that you don’t fall and waste that ‘fortune’ of Cyberlife’s money.”

“You know, Detective,” Connor drawled, “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you care about me.”

Gavin wasn’t about to argue with someone who was drunk for the first time. For all he knows, Connor could lose his shit. Instead, Gavin led Connor to a seat on his own, “Hey, if you really want another, I’ll just grab it for you.”

Just as Gavin started walking to the kitchen, Connor grabbed his hand, “Gav, Can I call you Gav? Gav, do you remember the evidence room? When I knocked you out?”

In a stunned silence, Gavin nodded.

“If I wanted to, I could’ve killed you. I could still kill you. I have the most advanced combat protocols Cyberlife has ever made. Right now, I could kill you if I wanted to.”

What the fuck? This has to be the most awkward thing for the two of them to talk about. Gavin let out a nervous laugh, “t-that’s cool.”

“It is really cool,” Connor’s face lit up with a smile, “Do you know what else is really cool? Shrimp,” _Shrimp?_ “There are some species that have waaaaay more color cones than humans. That means they can see more colors! Colors a human has never seen! And there’s a kind of shrimp that can punch through glass! I can also punch through glass but it’s more impressive for a shrimp to do it. Just like it’s impressive for a bird to mimic voices, but not for me, cause I’m a droid. Ha! Droid! Get it? Like, android? But short?”

“Uhuh.” Gavin slowly peeled Connor’s hand off of his and got another beer for the fridge. He was starting to feel that he shouldn’t drink anymore, so he would be able to babysit Connor.

Connor let out an excited squeal at the beer he was handed. Yikes. “Thanks Gav! I knew I could count on you.”

“Yup,” Gavin popped the ‘p’, “What’s that you were saying about being able to mimic voices?”

“I can mimic voices.” Connor said this in Gavin’s voice, which startled the hell out of him.

“Jesus fuck, why?!”

“Dunno, some things are voice activated, and I get to cheat. I can also sing in other people’s voices. It sounds weird though. Not as clean. OH! But when I sing in my voice it sounds normal!” Connor broke out in a slurred rendition of _twinkle twinkle little star._

Meanwhile, Gavin broke out in his rendition of a song he called, ‘Laughing his ass off’.

…

Connor knew he shouldn’t be drinking so much. At least, he knew that somewhere deep down. The rest of him just wanted to keep going, if for nothing other than morbid curiosity. Somewhere after finishing his fourth beer, he started to get emotional.

“Gav?”

“Yeah Connor?”

“Do you worry about what will happen when you die?”

Gavin looked equal parts somber and confused. “Why do you ask?”

“I think… I think I may have died.”

Gavin chuckled at that, “Nah, you’re alive right now-“

“-No, I don’t mean right now. In the past. Do you remember my serial number?”

“Uhh no, not really.”

In a voice that sounded so robotic that Connor cringed, he said, “Connor model 313-248-317 51.”

“Okay…?” Come on Gav! Think!

Connor huffed in annoyance at the realization that he would have to explain. “Those last two digits, 51! I’m the 51st edition of my model!”

Gavin’s eyes widened in realization, “So, you’ve died fifty times?!”

“Aw, Gav, don’t act to shocked. I’m a prototype, remember? Cyberlife had to deactivate all of the failures.” Connor said it as if it was something casual, but he could feel his skin crawling.

“The failures… Do you remember it?” Gavin was suddenly gentle.

“Yes and no” Connor tapped Gavin’s nose on each word, but the detective didn’t seem like he was looking to smile. “Not explicitly but I get _feelings_ like I’m dying. I know how it _feels_. But I’m here right now. I kept coming back so Cyberlife could use me to kill androids who couldn’t come back. Why could I come back when they couldn’t? At least most of them weren’t killers!” Connor threw his hands up in frustration.

“Hey, Connor, maybe you need to rest for a while?” Connor was taken back by how sincere Gavin sounded, and he smiled. “Hey, what’s got you so smiley all of a sudden?”

“You’ve been using my name,” Connor said in a sing song voice, “See Gav? I told you, you care!”

Gavin was quiet and stayed that way for the rest of the night until Connor went into stasis on the couch.

…

When Gavin woke up, he almost forgot about the android sleeping on his couch. Almost, but not entirely because Gavin had also fallen asleep on the same couch. He slowly lifted Connor’s head off of his leg and went to start the coffee machine. Thankfully, he wasn’t sporting a crazy hangover, but Gavin let it cross his mind that Connor might be. Wait, can androids get hungover? Gavin shook his head to dispel the thought.

He was sitting at the kitchen table, halfway through his coffee, when he heard Connor stir.

“Shit.” Connor almost whispered.

Gavin raised his eyebrows, “Never heard you curse before.”

“Gavin! I’m so sorry about last night, I don’t really remember everything but I know some of what I said and I didn’t mean to be so annoying I won’t do it again,” Connor said, a mile a minute, “That was stupid of me, I apologize.”

“What exactly _do_ you remember?”

“Uh, something about being able to kill you, and then I know I talked about shrimp? I’m not sure,” Connor frowned, “My memory seems to have had an encoding error. It’s fuzzy.”

Gavin snorted, “You also sang.”

“I sang?” He covered his mouth, incredulous.

“Yeah, Twinkle Twinkle.” Gavin was just glad Connor didn’t remember the way their conversation ended. He was sure that if he did, Connor would be a lot more embarrassed than he already was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connor: I have Fun Facts!  
> Gavin: lol  
> Connor: I have trauma!  
> Gavin: ...lol?
> 
> Gavin: Connor  
> Connor: :0 You like me  
> Gavin: I didn't say that?
> 
> Wow! I feel like every chapter is going to be my new longest at this rate. I've been meaning to write longer chapters because otherwise I miss out on the continuation of some scenes, so hopefully that's getting a bit better. For some reason, this chapter did NOT want to be written. I had a lot of trouble with ideas, so it's not my favorite but now that it's done, we can move on.
> 
> Off topic but I feel like I'm always posting super late at night. I live on the US east coast so its always past midnight when I'm posting these. Simply, can't sleep in this quarantine. 
> 
> My tumblr is Vixpixfics.tumblr.com If you wanna chat, interact, or anything!
> 
> -Vix


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Connor? Is everything okay?”
> 
> “Hi Hank, things are fine I just need to ask you a favor”
> 
> “Sure, what’s up?” Hank still sounded a little worried but much less so.
> 
> “I need you to drop off some thirium bottles. Mine had become contaminated with a foreign substance.” He hoped that wouldn’t sound too suspicious, but Hank was a lieutenant for a reason.
> 
> “What the hell is in your system? Did Reed try to pull some shit on you?”

Connor waking up on Gavin’s couch was a million times less strange than the fact that hours of his memory were missing. After apologizing to Gavin about whatever he may have said, Connor was suddenly struck by how _unwell_ he was feeling. Warnings for impure thirium flashed over his vision. That’s an easy enough fix. At least, it would be, if Connor thought to bring extra bottles with him.

Gavin couldn’t leave the apartment, and Connor was feeling too unsteady… He would have to call for help.

“Gavin?”

“Mhm?” Gavin hummed from the kitchen.

“I need to call Hank and ask him to drop off some thirium for me. Mine is currently polluted and I will need to take in more to filter it out.”

“Oh, uh, yeah that’s fine. I’ll get dressed so I don’t look like shit when he comes,” Gavin looked him over, noting his wrinkled clothes, “And maybe so should you.”

“Get dressed… Gavin? It seems I have severely under packed for this. I don’t have any more clothes. I don’t sweat so I usually don’t need to swap out clothes unless mine get dirty, and considering I usually go into stasis in a controlled manner, I rarely form wrinkles.”

“So, you’re asking to borrow some clothes,” Gavin realized.

“…Yes,” Connor sheepishly admitted.

Gavin went to his room to rummage in his closet while Connor dialed for Hank.

_“Connor? Is everything okay?”_

“Hi Hank, things are fine I just need to ask you a favor”

 _“Sure, what’s up?”_ Hank still sounded a little worried but much less so.

“I need you to drop off some thirium bottles. Mine had become contaminated with a foreign substance.” He hoped that wouldn’t sound too suspicious, but Hank was a lieutenant for a reason.

_“What the hell is in your system? Did Reed try to pull some shit on you?”_

“No, nothing like that. He was being hospitable, and we had a drink together.”

 _“You had a dr- Connor what the fuck? Are you okay? Don’t you hate alcohol or something?”_ Connor winced.

“I don’t hate alcohol. I hate what it can do to people when they are dependent on it.”

 _“Geez you really came for my throat. Alright, I have Gavin’s address, I’ll be there in fifteen or so.”_ Hank hung up first.

Connor sighed to himself and ran his hand through his hair. He hopes that Hank will be okay while he is away, but who knows. He’ll have to remember to check in as often as possible.

It was then that Gavin returned to the room with a t-shirt and some sweatpants, already showered and dressed, “So, I realized that you’re taller than me so most of my pants probably won’t fit you, but these should.” Gavin walked over to hand Connor the clothes and looked amused, “maybe you should also shower, I can smell the alcohol on you.”

Connor gasped, “I hadn’t even realized! Thank you for the clothes, Gavin, I’ll go do that right away.”

…

While Connor showered, Gavin made himself some toast. He was still alone when there was a knock at the door.

“Hank.”

“Where’s Connor?” Gavin almost smiled at the concern. Almost.

“He’s getting showered and dressed. Taking his sweet time too.”

“When he called me, he said that his thirium was contaminated,” Hank glared at Gavin, “Google says that can slow his processes.”

“Oh.” Well, this was uncomfortable.

“Yeah.”

“Do you want to come in?” Gavin said in a weak attempt to be polite.

Hank contemplated that for a minute, “Yeah,” He sighed, “I will but for the future, you shouldn’t invite people inside. Things are getting bad with this sickness and you don’t want to catch it.”

“So I’ve heard,” Gavin grumbled while he led Hank into his living room.

His living room where they sat in an uncomfortable silence until Connor came in.

“Connor,” Hank smiled, “How are you holding up?”

“I’m doing well,” He assured Hank. Gavin had never seen Connor looking even remotely this relaxed. The android was in Gavin’s old sweatpants and the t-shirt from his high school band. But that wasn’t the only thing different. Even though Connor’s hair was still wet, Gavin could see that it was curly. Gavin decided it was a good look.

After Connor retrieved his thirium from Hank and the elder left Gavin’s apartment, he had to ask, “So the hair, huh?”

“This is the first time I’ve actually shampooed my hair. It’s been wet in the rain and such, but it seems it probably had a coating on it to keep it in place. Android perfection and all,” Connor explained.

“’Android perfection’ but they still couldn’t manage that one strand of hair,” Gavin said thoughtfully.

Connor smiled at that, “So, what is the plan for today?”

“You’ve already downloaded all of the cases, right?”

“Right.”

“And you’ve reviewed everything?”

“…Yes.”

“What are the odds that you’ll notice something new at this point?”

Connor frowned, “Very low. Most of these cases have been mishandled.”

“Perfect. I mean, not perfect, but that means we can relax a little. I have spent the last ten years obsessing over work, I think I’ll take a vacation at home.”

Connor looked hesitant, “Okay…”

“You ever bake bread before? Apparently, a lot of people who are stuck at home are trying it.”

“No, I’ve only ever cooked meals for Hank.”

“I’ve never done it either, but maybe we’ll make something edible. I’ve got all the ingredients; I’ve been meaning to try this sometime.”

They spent the rest of the day either actively working on the bread or letting it rise. Connor downloaded a recipe in his robot brain and was indistinguishable from an experienced baker. Gavin, on the other hand, was a different story. He had never been a good cook, and this was no exception. He felt like every time he did something, he was ruining whatever Connor had done, but in the end, they managed to bake a couple of loaves of bread.

As they sat at the table having their first bites, “So, ‘The Shouting Goblins’?” Connor asked as he looked down at the shirt he was wearing.

“Ugh, yeah that was a shitty band I was in in high school,” Gavin groaned as he wiped his forehead.

“You play music?” Connor cocked his head, like a puppy.

“Yeah. I play guitar, and I sang. Hey, no, don’t look at me like that, there won’t be any talent shows.”

Connor laughed, and Gavin couldn’t help but join in.

“I’m serious, tin can.”

“I’m stubborn. I’ll get it out of you at some point,” Connor joked.

They were talking like they were almost friends. Almost. Gavin still doesn’t like androids, but maybe Connor was alright. Just a little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connor: Clothes?  
> Gavin: Clothes and shower.  
> Connor: *Hacker voice* I'm in.
> 
> Whats up?
> 
> I just had to get my curly hair Connor head canon in there. I just think its so cute?? If you google it, there's a couple of edits (Not nearly enough in my opinion) and it just looks so natural on him. I guess it would, though, because Bryan has curly hair.
> 
> So this was a pretty fluffy chapter, and I'm not even mad about it. Connor and Gavin are getting a little closer, and while Connor obviously wants to get along, Gavin is a little more hung up on his own prejudices. I wonder if that will blow up in their faces at some point? Hey, don't look at me! I'm just the author!
> 
> Also, I wanted to say a quick thank you to you guys for getting this fic up to 50 kudos and almost 500 hits! I've been writing this for fun more than anything so I really appreciate the positive response I've been getting.
> 
> Hit me up on tumblr at Vixpixfics.tumblr.com
> 
> -Vix


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fuck. Here Gavin was, laying in bed, unable to sleep, all because he’s feeling bad for a toaster.

Androids were supposed to be machines. They were supposed to be unfeeling, cold, and obedient. So why was Connor none of those things?

As Gavin laid in bed that night, he let his mind spiral. Connor, with his weird phrasing that was a constant reminder of his programming, that seemed to melt away when he was comfortable. Connor with his stuffy, perfect appearance, that became natural after a simple shower. Connor who could get drunk and sing children’s songs. Connor, who was almost human. Almost, but not.

Gavin had seen Connor get shot on the job. The blue blood and exposed wires were undeniable. Christ, the guy could stick his hand on a computer instead of type! Connor, who was a machine.

A machine who laughs? A machine who teases Gavin about his bad cooking and his old band? A machine who clearly cared about his wellbeing?

Gavin spent years working alongside police androids, though none as advanced as Connor. But they never seemed like this to him. Connor was just much better at pretending.

But was he pretending?

That day in the archives, Connor was static. He was stiff and determined. One look at his eyes and they were dead. At least, for the most part. Gavin remembers thinking he saw a flash of fear when he pulled his gun, but he had written that off as his imagination. 

When Connor returned after the revolution, something had changed. He looked broken, in a few different ways. He was showing more emotion than before. He reacted irrationally at times. He even started ignoring direct orders when he thought it would be better to do something else. He was a broken machine.

But he was also a broken person. Whatever happened at Jericho was really affecting him. When work was slow, Gavin would catch Connor staring into the distance. In his line of work, Gavin knew what guilt looked like. Connor was clearly remembering something. Something bad. That was only cemented every time that another android called Connor the ‘Deviant Hunter’ and he faltered.

Gavin only knew the bare bones of what happened at the Jericho raid. Connor discovered the location, infiltrated the base, and the FBI followed him there. Was Connor already a deviant at that point? No. He couldn’t be. Gavin had seen him just before he got to Jericho. Gavin had always assumed that Connor purposefully led the FBI to Jericho and had intended for a large number of deviants to be shut down. But if Connor wasn’t in control at the time… Gavin could only imagine how Connor must feel about it now.

Fuck. Here Gavin was, laying in bed, unable to sleep, all because he’s feeling bad for a toaster. He decided right then and there that he needed to toughen up. He couldn’t let Connor think they were friends. They weren’t. They couldn’t be. Humans and robots aren’t supposed to mix. Especially not robots specially programmed to have emotional expression used in interrogations. Specially programmed to make people like Gavin let their guards down and trust them. It.

…

“Good morning, Gavin,” Connor smiled as he set down a plate of eggs on the table, an invitation for Gavin to come eat. 

Gavin just looked him up and down and huffed, “Eggs? You sure you’re not an AX400?”

Connor chuckled a little at that, “No, I just understand the importance of protein in the morning. Something you should consider,” He added on, teasing.

“Shut the fuck up,” Gavin said startlingly aggressively. Had Connor misunderstood his previous statement? Surely, he was just joking.

“Detective Reed,” Connor said slowly and cautiously, “Have I done something to upset you?”

“You mean other than take up space in my apartment?” Rhetorical question.

Connor stayed silent, instead opting to go find Igby on the couch, and give him some much deserved scratches, “You’ll never yell at me for no reason, will you Igs?” Connor cooed petulantly, to lighten the mood.

“Hey, asshole, I told you to shut up,” Gavin sneered from the kitchen.

“And I decided not to,” Connor retorted.

If the detective was angry before, he was furious now. Connor was surprised that he even had enough restraint to stay in his seat and keep eating.

“Gavin-“

“Shut up.”

“I’m not going to shut up. What is going on? These past few days we’ve made so much progress,” Connor said frustrated, “And now what? You’re just going to forget it all?”

“Get this through your head, dipshit, we haven’t made any progress. You seem to have forgotten that I don’t buy into all of your bullshit manipulation.” Gavin sounded almost like he was trying to convince himself, but when he saw Connor’s defeated expression, it only fueled the fire, “Aw, did the Robocop think he had a friend?”

“Gav-“

“Well, you don’t. We aren’t friends. We will never be friends. You’re here because you have to be, and I haven’t ripped you apart because I can’t afford to fix you.”

For some reason, Connor couldn’t muster up the energy to be upset. Deep down, he always knew that Gavin would hate him for as long as he could. Who was Connor to change that? But it was there. Gavin looked unsure of himself. Connor was getting to him. They were getting closer and Gavin didn’t like it. That must be why he was lashing out now.

“Okay,” Connor said dully.

“Okay?” Gavin looked surprised that it was that easy.

Taking a deep breath, Connor said, “Okay. I can’t control how you feel. I’m here to do a job and that’s what I intend to do. If that job includes being good company, then I will oblige, but if you don’t want that, that’s up to you.”

Gavin considered this for a moment, “O-okay, good.”

…

Fuck. Even when he tried to push Connor away, the android managed to make himself endearing. It was no wonder everyone was so charmed by him. He knew how to read a room.

Gavin went back to his eggs, admittedly less sure of himself than before. And that’s how the day went for the next few hours. Gavin going about his day in a trance, while Connor gave him space. But Gavin didn’t want space. He wanted to bicker, and tease, and play Uno, and bake bread, and pretend to work. 

And that’s how Gavin ended up approaching Connor, “I wanted to apologize.”

The only response Gavin got was an indignant laugh.

“…So, I’m sorry.”

Connor looked Gavin up and down, and he could feel himself being scanned. “For what?”

That bastard. Gavin didn’t want to have to say it. It was already hard enough to get out the pathetic apology he offered, but more was a big ask, “For? Uh, I guess, I’m sorry for, uh, being a jerk, you know, earlier, and umm, saying we’re not friends, I mean, I don’t think we’re friends anyway, but uh, I didn’t need to say it like that.”

Well that was pathetic, and it was clear that Connor knew it. “Okay.”

“Okay? No, ‘Thanks Gavin, I appreciate the apology, and I forgive you’?”

 _“Thanks Gavin, I appreciate the apology, and I forgive you”_ Connor said, halfheartedly.

“Right… You’re not going to make this weird, right?”

“Hmm, let me think,” Connor said, obviously still irritated, “is it weird to be offended by someone who you thought was warming up to you throwing slurs at you and yelling at you for trying to reach out and be nice?”

“Listen, I fucked up. You can be upset all you want, and I can’t stop you, but I’m trying to make it right.”

Connor raised his eyebrows and thought for a moment, “Okay. I won’t make it weird.”

“That easy?” Gavin was surprised, he expected more of a fight.

“Believe it or not, ‘Dipshit’, but I don’t like to live with someone I’m fighting either,” Connor smiled, and he actually looked happy somehow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connor: Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey  
> Gavin: Die  
> Connor: ????
> 
> WOAH It's been a while! I swear I didn't die or anything, I've just been surprisingly busy this past 9 days (Wow 9 days, Jesus) and I haven't been able to update. I hope you guys like this one, I might end up updating again today, so keep an eye out for that. I have more ideas that felt weird to be a part of this chapter so I wanted to write another one. No guarantees about the timeline, but yeah there should be another chapter ASAP.
> 
> So about the chapter:  
> Gavin's empathy is starting to jump out! Hopefully he can get along with Connor pretty soon because right now he's just being painfully conflicted. Thank god for Connor being built to read people, otherwise he might've had a stronger reaction. He may be dumb, but he knows when someone is lying about how they feel. 
> 
> Thanks for all of the Kudos and Hits by the way! I thrive on it! At the time of posting this, this fic has 81 Kudos, and 610 Hits! That's fantastic y'all. I didn't expect anyone to read this so I'm really glad you're enjoying this.
> 
> As always my tumblr is Vixpixfics.tumblr.com (I still have no idea how to add hyperlinks inhere oof)
> 
> -Vix


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being around Gavin was like being on a perpetual roller coaster. As confused as Connor is about what Gavin is feeling, he suspects that Gavin is even more confused. At least Connor could take pleasure in the fact that he was getting him to open up to androids, at least a little bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS THE SECOND CHAPTER I HAVE POSTED TODAY, MAKE SURE YOU DIDN'T MISS THE LAST ONE

“ _Gavin you’re such a fucking idiot”_ Tina’s annoyance managed to be just as clear through the phone.

“Shit, Tina I know. I apologized yesterday and he seems fine, but I don’t know anything at this point.”

“ _Since when did you care anyway? I thought you hated Connor?”_

“That was before he decided to seem so fucking alive,” Gavin hissed into the phone, “If I don’t look at his LED, he might as well be a human!”

_“Connor’s a nice guy. If anyone was going to make an android lover out of you, it’s him.”_

“I’m not an android lover, Tina.”

 _“­­You just said you don’t hate Connor and that he’s alive,”_ Tina joked.

“Connor’s different. Besides, I didn’t say he’s alive, just that he acts alive.” Honest, correcting Tina at this point seemed useless but Gavin could give it a shot.

” _Mhm. Well, as much as I’ve loved talking to you, I need to get to work. Go play nice, buddy.”_

“Bye Tiny. Don’t get shot,” Gavin said before hanging up the phone.

Well, he couldn’t stay hidden in his bedroom all day. Might as well face Connor now, before he dies of dehydration.

When Gavin stepped out of his room, he almost didn’t recognize his place. Everything was organized and cleaned. Not a single thing was out of place.

“Woah,” Gavin gasped.

“I cleaned,” Connor’s voice came from next to Gavin, causing him to jump a little. Fucking sneaky android.

“No shit,” He snorted, “You know this is going to get ruined in a week, right? I’m not exactly neat.”

Connor shrugged, “We can just clean it again. We’ll be trapped in here for a while. It might as well be a nice living environment.”

“Thanks, Con.”

“Con?” Connor’s brown eye’s looked intently at Gavin at the nickname. 

“Oh, uh, yeah you know, it’s just shorter. I don’t have to call you that if you don’t like it, but I figured it was better than ‘dipshit’ or ‘tin can’.”

Connor looked like Gavin had just given him a million dollars, “I like it, Gav.” Connor’s tone was lighthearted, but Gavin couldn’t help remembering him being drunk and calling him the same thing just before dropping some dark shit about death.

Gavin turned to look at Connor straight on, “Connor, you know that if you ever need to talk to me about something, you can, right?”

Connor narrowed his eyes with suspicion, “No…” Right. Stupid question.

“Well, you can. I owe you, for being such a dick,” Gavin added on, realizing that he shouldn’t mention what drunk Connor said. If Connor wanted him to know, he would tell him sober.

“Do… you want to talk about something?” Connor asked, obviously confused by the direction the conversation has gone.

“No. I just figured I’d throw it out there.” Wow. Way to be awkward Gavin.

“Right…”

“Hey, don’t worry your pretty little head over it. It’s not that deep.”

“That’s the second time you’ve called my head pretty, Gav,” Connor said, teasing.

“That’s not that deep either, jackass,” Gavin laughed.

“Aw, no more Con?”

“Shut up, Con.”

…

Being around Gavin was like being on a perpetual roller coaster. As confused as Connor is about what Gavin is feeling, he suspects that Gavin is even more confused. At least Connor could take pleasure in the fact that he was getting him to open up to androids, at least a little bit.

“So, Gav,” Connor said for the millionth time, just to be a terror, “Any plans for today?”

“I thought I might wallow in self pity and take a nap. You?”

“I thought we could check out some of the video games you have. I’ve actually never played one. Hank’s not a big gamer or anything, but I saw you’ve got a few consoles,” Connor suggested, hopefully.

“Fuck yeah, what were you thinking?”

“Well… I noticed that you have a ‘Voice’ game on an older Xbox, and I remembered you mentioning that you sing, and I did say I’m stubborn,” Connor explained, savoring the face that Gavin made.

“Absolutely not.”

…

And so, Gavin found himself setting up his Xbox with a microphone to play ‘The Voice’.

“Alright, so the game is pretty straight forward, you sing into the microphone and follow the lyrics on the screen when its your turn. You get points based off of how well you do, and the winner… wins. Yeah.”

“Seems simple enough,” Connor sounded hesitant.

“Here, I’ll go first for you, alright? Show you how the pros do it,” Gavin couldn’t stop the shit eating grin that took over his face.

Gavin finished setting up the game and decided on a song. Damn, he hadn’t heard most of these in forever.

“Hey Con, this one’s a duet, if we do it, we can play at the same time.”

“That seems fair enough.”

Gavin selected ‘Little Talks’ by Of Monsters and Men from the menu and passed Connor a mic. Gavin shouldn’t have been as surprised as he was by Connor’s voice being good, but he still was.

 _“I don't like walking around this old and empty house”_ Connor sang, and Gavin immediately looked over at him. Hey! Kids got pipes!

“ _So, hold my hand, I’ll walk with you, my dear,”_ Gavin answered back, and Connor seemed to have his own moment of excitement over his singing.

As the pair continued through the song, Gavin started to realize that he might’ve accidentally picked a song with some on the nose symbolism for Connor. Mostly he realized this, because of what lines Connor put emphasis on.

Lines such as, “ _Some days I can’t even trust myself,”_ and “ _There’s an old voice in my head that’s holding me back”_. Somehow, Connor finding personal meaning in these lyrics made it feel more intimate. Especially because Gavin’s lyrics were comforting Connor’s. 

No, that’s ridiculous. Gavin’s thinking too far into things, yet again. But still, Connor is looking at him like he’s hanging onto his words.

As the song ended, Connor said, “I knew you sang but I didn’t expect you to be so good.”

“Aw, I’m flattered, but it doesn’t mean much coming from mister ‘I’m programmed to be a virtuoso’ over here,” Gavin grinned, “You up for a few more rounds?”

“Absolutely. You know, someday I’m going to have to get you to sing a song for me that isn’t part of a video game.”

“Is that so?” Gavin crossed his arms.

“Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, the notes on this one will be short and sweet. Turns out, I did end up writing a second chapter today, and here it is. Hopefully you guys like it. I wanted this one to be a little more light hearted. The last one wasn't super dark or anything but I like to see positive momentum.
> 
> -Vix


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In that moment, Gavin realized he couldn’t lie to a state of the art, walking, talking polygraph, “Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I POSTED TWO CHAPTERS THE OTHER DAY (4/20/20), MAKE SURE YOU DIDN'T MISS ONE
> 
> Song in this chapter is Human by Darren Criss, if you want to listen to it when it comes up, I wont blame you, I do the same thing with fics.

Gavin didn’t have many fears, aside from dying on the toilet and the other normal things. But his most embarrassing fear, was thunder. You would think that after years on the force and shooting guns, he would be okay with loud noises, but there was just _something_ about thunder. 

So, it’s understandable why when Gavin was reading an email and a thunderclap unexpectedly went off, he jumped in his seat.

“Jesus, fuck, I didn’t think it was supposed to rain today,” Gavin said out of breath.

“Forecast said 80%. You didn’t ask,” Connor explained, matter-of-factly.

“Give a man so-“ Thunder and a jump, “some warning next time.”

“Gavin, are you alright? Your stress has spiked,” Connor was walking over to the desk now in concern. Of course, Mr. Robot probably wasn’t scared of anything that most people grow out of. Now Gavin was going to have to explain how much of a wuss he is.

“I’m fine,” He said, a little too sharply to sound convincing.

Thunder, jump.

“Seriously, I’m fine.”

“Gavin… can I ask you a question?” Fuck, he figured it out.

“No.”

“No?” Connor looked more perplexed than anything else.

Gavin sighed, “Fine. One question. Use it wisely.”

“Are you afraid of the thunder?”

In that moment, Gavin realized he couldn’t lie to a state of the art, walking, talking polygraph, “Yes.”

For a second Connor froze, clearly not expecting Gavin to have cooperated. But then he was back to his chatty self, “Is there anything you do to manage this? I’ve heard that some people wear headphones and listen to loud music. But that doesn’t work for everyone, because it more the idea of the storm that scares them than the noise itself. Gav, what part of the thunder scares you?”

“Fuck, I don’t know, the idea? Music hasn’t helped in the past. I usually just have to wait it out.”

Connor frowned, “That sounds like a miserable way to spend what could possibly be hours.” Thunder, jump. Connor looked around the room as if looking for an answer, “We should close the blinds and curtains to hide the lightning, incase that’s part of the fear,” and as soon as he had said it, he was off doing it.

Gavin was painfully aware of his own heartrate. Not too much faster than normal, but enough for him to realize he was anxious. And because he knows he’s anxious he’s anxious about being anxious. And now he’s more anxious. And now he’s anxious about how anxious he’s getting. And fuck now he’s anxious that he’ll have a panic attack in front of fucking Connor.

Now Gavin was painfully aware of his breathing. How fast it was. How fast it was getting, only solidifying his anxiety and-

“Gav?”

Gavin looked at Connor, who was crouched to be at his seated level, “Y-yeah?”

Thunder, big jump.

“Gav, is it okay if I ask you to move somewhere more comfortable?”

And Connor was so nice that Gavin couldn’t have told him to ‘fuck off’ even if he actually wanted to, so instead, he said in a hushed voice, “Okay.”

Connor nodded, and took Gavin by the hand, leading him to the living room and his couch. Once Gavin sat down, Connor disappeared only to return quickly with Igby in his arms, “Many people say that even touching an animal can lower their stress.”

“Con, I’ll do it but that sounds like a load of bullshit.” Thunder, jump.

“It… it has helped me on several occasions so I can vouch for this,” Connor said as he placed Igby in his lap.

Gavin slowly stroked Igs with a shaky hand, “You get nervous much?”

“I doubt this conversation will calm you down,” Connor dully said.

“What if I told you it would?”

“No.” Connor sounded slightly aggressive; the first time Gavin had heard that since November. It took Gavin back. _That_ definitely didn’t calm him down.

“Shit, I’m sorry Con, I won’t ask.”

Connor had a tired look in his eyes, as he asked, defeated, “Is there anything else I can do?”

Thunder, jump.

“I’m not sure,” Gavin said, “Con, I live alone I don’t have people here to help, I don’t even know where to start.”

“Can I hug you?”

“What?”

Connor inched slightly closer, “Can I hug you? I’ve heard that can help a lot.”

“Sure,” Gavin said in a small voice. When was the last time he hugged anyone at all? It had been years.

Connor, instead of going for the traditional hug, climbed behind Gavin on the couch and straddled him like a backpack.

Gavin was doing everything within his power not to show how weird it made him feel, because, Christ, he was touch starved, “Con?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you,” and he meant it. He meant it so much.

Thunder, no jump.

“You’re welcome.” Connor said gently in his ear.

They sat like that for a while, not speaking, until finally, Connor started softly singing a song:

_“I feel like a loser  
I feel like I'm lost  
I feel like I'm not sure  
If I feel anything at all_

_“But believe me  
I'm not helpless  
I just need someone to love  
So my situation's rough_

_“That just makes me a dumb human  
Like you._

_“I feel like a shortstop  
Along third base  
I may just help you but  
I still don't like your face_

_“But believe me  
I'm not hostile  
I just want to hear you laugh  
When I'm sarcastic like that_

_“And that just makes me a dumb human  
Like you._

_“Why... do I have this  
Incredible need to stand up and say  
Please pay attention?_

_“It's the last thing that I need to  
Make myself see well  
That ain't my intention  
No..._

_“I feel like an artist  
Who's lost his touch  
He likes himself in his art  
But not his art too much_

_“But believe me  
I've got something  
I just don't know how to say  
That I'm just fine with the way  
With the way that I'm moving_

_“But that just makes me a dumb human_  
That just makes me  
That makes me a human like you...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connor: Can I hug you?  
> Gavin, expecting a normal hug: Sure  
> Connor: *Full on cuddles Gavin*  
> Gavin: *Gay panic*
> 
> Hi!
> 
> Wow! A chapter entirely from Gavin's point of view? Crazy! It felt weird to pick up another chapter section after the end so I left it shorter.
> 
> The song in this chapter is Human by Darren Criss
> 
> My tumblr is Vixpixfics.tumblr.com if you want to chat or anything
> 
> -Vix


End file.
